Bothersome, But Not Distracting
by GoldenGait
Summary: Immediately follows the events of 2x06 The Line.  Sylar continues to help Maya and Alejandro, intent on stealing their abilities.
1. Chapter 1

Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be. The characters are just so fantastic I couldn't resist borrowing them for awhile. :-) I'll give them back in original condition, I promise.

Author's note: The agonizingly slow progression of this storyline is killing me, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and advance the plot a little. With no pressing story arc yet this season, we need Sylar back in the thick of things to stir up some trouble. (Although the end of 2x06 The Line brightened my spirits a little. Apocalypse Part Deux, here we come.) One or two Sylar scenes per episode totaling a measly four minutes just doesn't blow my skirt up. Please read and review, and if someone with better grammar than me would like to help by looking over the next part before I post it, I'd be forever grateful. :-) Rated T for now, might get grittier later...I'm not currently aware of where this is going.

This starts up at the end of 2x06 The Line….

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"Here, right here, this one." Sylar motioned to a run-down motel on the side of the highway. "Pull in here."

Maya pulled the car into the lot and parked far from the entrance, despite an almost total availability of spaces. She turned to look at her brother in the backseat, and then to Sylar. "How can we afford this? My brother and I have some American dollars, but it's not much." The red, sputtering VACANCY sign above them cast a strange hue over the car. "And we still have to go all the way to New York," she said with a worried tone.

"The police are going to find the men at the border and we need to be off the roads tonight," Sylar explained. "We can park the car under those trees at the end of the lot and start out again tomorrow morning. Besides, we could all use a break from this car, and I'm sure you'd like to sleep in a real bed tonight…?" Sylar raised his eyebrows innocently at Maya. "Right? I mean, we've been driving for days."

"Yes, but what about the money, Gabriel?" Maya asked, shooting a glance toward the front desk of the motel, barely visible through dusty windows.

"It's OK," Sylar said. After killing their original companion back in Mexico, Sylar had grabbed his wallet as well as his keys. Pulling it from his pocket now, he counted the bills and smiled. "I have money."

Exiting the car, Sylar and Maya walked toward the motel through the dark parking lot.

"Are you sure your brother is okay in the car?" Sylar asked with a look of earnestness, feigning concern.

"He'll be fine for a few minutes. He just needs to…. He worries about me."

"He should. You're family," Sylar answered.

Behind them, Alejandro watched anxiously from the back seat of the car. Sylar held the lobby door open for Maya, shooting a wicked smile back over her shoulder to her brother. Alone in the car, Alejandro gripped the seat in front of him, seething, his knuckles turning white with the effort.

The pair walked quietly to the front desk and waited. The attendant, intently watching an old black and white game show, ignored them. Sylar cleared his throat, and the man lazily spun his considerable bulk in his chair to look at them. "Can I help you?" he drawled, the greeting marred by the tone, which suggested just acknowledging their presence was a great imposition.

"Yes, we'd like—" Sylar paused and looked at Maya. "Sleeping arrangements?" he asked her. Maya gave him a look of non-understanding, and he smiled a practiced, innocent smile and went on, "How many rooms do we need?"

"Oh…" Maya paused, looking out at the car.

"Two? I don't think ladies in one room and gentlemen in the other would work, considering your brother's opinion of me. Do you two want to share a room, or…." Sylar waited, allowing his pause to pass for concern, "would you rather have your own?"

Maya turned back to Sylar with a quick, appreciative smile. "Yes, three rooms would be nice. I don't want to argue with him tonight."

They were given three rooms at the very end of the motel's sprawl. Sylar smiled at the location; it was dark, it was quiet, and there was a perfect expanse of brush and trees extending out behind the rooms. He didn't have a plan, per se, but was quietly elated to find he was excited about tonight. With no reason for the optimism, he felt calm and confident that things were happening just as they should.

The three travelers walked in silence to their rooms, Sylar stopping at the first door, claiming the room as his. He watched as Alejandro stropped at the second door, shooting a look of mistrust in Sylar's direction. Maya started for the door on the end, but turned halfway there and doubled back. She stopped and laid a hand on her brother's arm, speaking in a hushed but forceful tone. Sylar paused with key in hand and strained in futility to hear what was being said, despite knowing he wouldn't understand the language even if he had his powers. After a moment of argument, Alejandro shrugged off his sister's hand in anger and stalked to the farthest door. He shouted something Sylar didn't understand back over his shoulder, eliciting a frustrated sigh from his sister.

Maya turned an apologetic smile toward Sylar. "I apologize for my brother's behavior, Gabriel. I know you were sent to us for a reason. I'm very glad we found each other."

Sylar nodded, avoiding Maya's gaze as he unlocked his door and swung it open. As he stepped inside, he paused and turned back toward her, his face half hidden by the door jam. "Yes," he said, looking at her intently. "I think everything happens for a reason."

"Good night, Gabriel."

"Good night Maya… Sleep tight."

Sylar closed the door behind him with a soft click and turned to take in his accommodations. The motel room was like most—there was a dirty bathroom, a small set of table and chairs, and an uncomfortable looking bed. Two windows, one facing the parking lot and one looking back on the brush behind the motel, were covered in heavy, ugly curtains. He sighed and leaned back against the door.

A loud noise shattered the quiet of the room and Sylar doubled over in pain, falling to his knees. The torrent of noise wouldn't stop, and the volume seemed to be drilling into the sides of his head, it wouldn't stop, he couldn't move—

As suddenly as it had started, the noise stopped. Panting, Sylar pushed himself to his feet and looked around wildly for the source of the sound. Nothing. Had the other two heard it? His ears still ringing, Sylar lifted the edge of his curtains to look out across the parking lot. The blinking vacancy sign and part of their car were the only objects in view. As he turned to the other side of the room, intent on checking the other window, the curtains flew apart, untouched. With a start, Sylar stopped in his tracks. He stood, staring at the window and the blackness beyond. After a long moment, he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed and listened. He heard with perfect clarity the faucet in the room next to his turn on briefly, and off again. A glass clinked, and he heard footfalls, as perfectly as if he had been in Maya's room with her…

Sylar looked back at the curtains. Slowly, evenly, they slid closed, back into place. A sinful smile crept across Sylar's face, and two hand prints were singed into the bedspread as his hands began to glow…

"I think it's time I figured out exactly what you two can do," Sylar purred.

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With flawless patience, Sylar stared at the wall that adjoined his room to Maya's, and listened as she got ready for bed. He felt calm, powerful. Perfect. _Special._ And once he had this pair of abilities, no-one would ever be able to stand in his way again.

The boy would be first.

After almost an hour he heard Maya's light click off and she slid into bed with a quiet rustle of blankets. Sylar waited, motionless, for another fifteen minutes before he opened his door and slipped out onto the dark walkway. The night was warm, and the sound of insects was bothersome, but not distracting. He should have been impatient, he felt as if he'd been removed somehow, incomplete, for a lifetime. Instead, he almost relished his agonizingly slow walk down the open hallway, letting the need for power build. He crept past Maya's room, and when he didn't hear her stir, went on to her brother's door.

Sylar regarded the door as he arrived in front of it, wondering which tool he should use to gain entry. With one hand, he reached for the door handle, fingers extended. As he brushed the metal, it quivered and silently splashed to the ground, allowing Sylar to push open the door without a sound.

A powerful blow whipped Sylar's head to the side and a second to his stomach left him gasping on the motel room floor. He looked up as Alejandro swung the table leg a third time, but with a quick motion of his hand, stopped the weapon in mid-air. Alejandro's eyes widened as he tried in vain to regain control of the object.

"I'm impressed," Sylar said, catching his breath. "But I warned you," he whispered, easing to his feet, one palm toward Alejandro and the immobile weapon. "I told you exactly what I was going to do to you, and this little… display… is _not_ going to stop me."

With a twitch of two fingers, the table leg flew back at Alejandro, sending him back against the wall, where he found he was stuck, unable to move, unable to speak, held by an invisible force…

"I knew you and your _pretty_ sister found me for a reason," Sylar said, motioning the door closed. Alejandro tried to kick, tried to move, tried to _breathe_, as suddenly his neck was crushed, and Sylar advanced on him, reveling in the fear and rage in his prey's eyes.

Sylar closed his eyes and sighed, a slight smile dancing across his face, as if he were enjoying a symphony. "Your sister's next." Wanting to make sure his intentions were understood, he looked directly at Alejandro, and said clearly and condescendingly, "Ma-ya."

Alejandro's muscles screamed for control, infuriated at his inability to get to his sister, to kill this man, he had to protect her—

The insects outside continued to buzz; bothersome, but not distracting. "Let's see how this works…" Sylar whispered.

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R&R, people, authors live off of feedback…

:-)

GG


	2. Chapter 2

Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be.

Author's note: It's interesting how I never know where this story is going until I sit down and start typing from the point I left off. After losing an hour or two to my laptop, I look at the clock and suddenly there's another chapter written. I bet my eyes turn white, too. ;-)

Part 2

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From across the room, Sylar watched Maya as she slept. He had been worried the noise from her brother's room had woken her, but her deep, even breathing told him she was sleeping peacefully.

She had left her back window open, and Sylar had taken it as an invitation. After crawling silently through and checking that the door was locked and chained, he sat down in one of the chairs and enjoyed the warm breeze from the still-open window. He stayed this way for almost a half hour before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He wondered why these abilities were given to people who didn't want them, couldn't use them? He could think of a _hundred _ways to use Maya's power, and wouldn't be burdened by remorse.

He stood and walked lazily to Maya's bedside. She stirred in her sleep, her hair falling over her eyes. Sylar moved two fingers, and the lock of hair was swept behind her ear. She frowned and drew the sheet higher across her face.

"Time for the real power," Sylar whispered, motioning for her head to turn towards him.

Maya didn't move.

Sylar's brow furrowed and he gestured more emphatically. Maya remained as she was. Alarm built in Sylar, a cold spreading from his stomach. He strained to hear her heart beat, the distant sounds of the desert—

Nothing.

He stepped back from the bed and touched the lamp, but it remained stubbornly solid. He couldn't move the curtains, he couldn't hear anything extraordinary, his hands would not glow—

"No," Sylar growled. "NO!" Maya woke with a start as Sylar grabbed one of the chairs and flung it across the room, shattering a mirror.

"Gabriel! What are you doing in here??" Maya asked in a panic.

"They're gone….they're all GONE!" Sylar walked to the table and gripped the edges, clenching his eyes shut and willing his abilities to work, one of them, any of them—

"Gabriel, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" Maya asked, getting out of bed and shrugging on a shirt. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons, so she settled for pulling the edges closed around her.

Sylar looked at her with malice, breathing heavily. "My abilities… I had them back, I could do it all again. _Everything_… and now they're gone," he spat, upending the table with a crash.

"Okay," Maya said carefully, remaining on the other side of the bed, as far as the little room would allow her to be from Sylar. The way he looked at her frightened her; he had never looked at her like that before. "But that's why we're going to see Dr. Suresh. He'll help all of us!" she whispered with vehement hope. Noises audible to both were beginning in the motel, there were heavy footfalls coming down the walkway toward the room, and indistinct shouting.

Realizing it was time to go, Sylar moved toward Maya and grabbed her by the shoulders. Her eyes went wide and she struggled. "Let go, Gabriel!"

"No, Maya, the reason I need my powers back is to protect you." He paused, and outside, the manager began banging on the door and shouting for them to open it. The noise was distracting, and Sylar wished he had more time to consider his options with this girl. "Someone is after us… Alejandro is dead."

"What?" Maya asked, horror flashing across her face. "_What?_" Her voice was shrill and she started struggling against Sylar's grip with new force. "No, he's right next door, he's right there—"

"He's dead, Maya, someone murdered him, and we're next unless we get out of here!" Sylar hissed, building the tension.

"If you don't open this door right now I'll open it myself!" the manager bellowed, still pounding on the door. Keys jingled faintly from outside.

"No, no, I don't believe you… Alejandro!" Maya yelled, starting to cry.

A small smile flickered across Sylar's face as he watched Maya's eyes turn black. "We need to get out of here! Now!"

"_Mi __hermano__….mi __hermano_…" she moaned, slipping to the floor. Sylar crouched with her, gripping her hands.

"Shh, calm down. Calm down, Maya, it'll be okay. We just have to go now," Sylar said gently. The pounding on the door had stopped and there was complete silence, save for Maya's labored breathing.

"Did I—did I kill that man?" Maya asked, her eyes clearing. She looked toward the door and back at Sylar. "You're alright. Did I not…?"

Sylar stood and went to the door. As he opened it, the heavy body of the manager, black streaks running from his eyes, fell across the threshold.

"No," Maya moaned, hunching over herself on the ground.

"Maya," Sylar called from the doorway. "Maya. We need to go. We have to go now." She didn't move, so he grabbed the car keys and pulled her to her feet. "_We need to go_," he said, looking her in the eye.

She nodded, and he helped her to the door, stepping gingerly over the manager's body. Sylar started toward the car, but stopped as Maya pulled away from him and ran back to her brother's room.

"Maya!" Sylar yelled, running after her.

She swung open the door to reveal her brother's crumpled body lying in a dark pool of blood. With a moan, she started toward him, but Sylar caught her arm and pulled her back. "There's nothing you can do. He's gone." She allowed him to pull her away from the door and back out into the parking lot. Sylar opened the passenger side door and eased Maya into it, before running to the other side and jumping in. The car roared to life and they sped out onto the highway.

Neither of them said anything for what seemed like hours, but must have only been minutes. Maya sat turned in her seat, looking out the back window. Her breathing was shallow and her silent tears made pale tracks down her face as they sped away from the motel and her brother's body.

"Why didn't you die?" Maya asked, her voice hollow. "I killed him… I killed that man and you didn't die." She turned her tear-streaked face towards Sylar. "Why, Gabriel?"

"I don't know," Sylar said truthfully, checking the rear view mirror. The rest of his abilities were still painfully absent, and yet he hadn't been affected by Maya's outburst. "I don't know. Maybe..." Sylar searched for an explanation to give her. "Maybe it's a new ability. I could do all kinds of things before... Maybe they're coming back differently. Maybe it's because I've spent so much time with you. Maybe we've developed a connection." Sylar couldn't tell if Maya was satisfied by his explanation or not. She finally turned in her seat and sat down, resting her head against the window, and staring out at the night.

"We should switch cars," she said coldly after a moment. "Before sunrise."

Sylar nodded, surprised at her clarity. "I'm not sure we have enough cash to get a car."

"We'll steal one."

Sylar stared at Maya for a moment before turning his eyes back to the road. He may not have her ability yet, but the situation was not entirely a loss. She was company, and now without her brother, her conscience, Sylar felt the journey and any complications ahead were going to present much less of a problem.

This could even be fun.

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Read and review, and send chocolate. I like chocolate.

GG


	3. Chapter 3

Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be.

Author's Note: Nothing to say this time. Keep reading, and visit my profile for a link to my website.

Part 3

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They had stolen a car in the first town they came to. Maya looked sad, but worked with solemn efficiency, following all of Sylar's directions. They were on the road again in fifteen minutes, Maya behind the wheel.

Sylar rummaged through the glove compartment, taking stock of their new possessions. "We've got a… lighter…. some maps…. paperwork… twenty dollars in cash… Nothing special."

"The map—can you tell where we are?" Maya asked.

Sylar unfolded the large paper and searched the page. "What was the last road marker?"

"I don't know," Maya answered. "How are we ever going to get to New York from here?" she wondered absently.

"We'll find our way. We have to." Sylar looked at Maya with practiced concern. "We've both lost too much to stop now." He paused, slowly, deliberately smoothing a crease out of the map. "Maya… I'm so sorry about Alejandro."

Maya's brow furrowed and her jaw clenched. "He protected me. He kept me safe," she said after a moment, her voice wavering. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him. I don't… I can't control what I can do." She turned to look at Sylar, her face anxious. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Sylar tilted his head and regarded Maya carefully. He needed her power, and it bothered him constantly that he couldn't have it. He had been discretely testing his abilities all morning, to no avail. And yet Maya hadn't affected him at the motel. Why?

"I don't think you have to if you don't want to," Sylar pushed the map into the back seat and leaned against his door, facing Maya. "Have you ever _tried_ to do it? On purpose?"

Maya looked horrified. "No! I don't want to hurt people, it just happens! Once it starts, I cannot stop, until Alejandro takes my hand…" She trailed off. "What will I do without him, Gabriel?"

She looked so lost, so forlorn. _Ripe_ for guidance and instruction. "Try it now," Sylar suggested lightly, as if he were proposing she change lanes, or something equally as mundane.

"What? No! I can't! I don't know how it happens, and without Alejandro… I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't think you will," Sylar said, leaning forward eagerly. "I was fine at the motel. And besides, if you learn how to control how it happens, maybe you can control it enough to stop." He raised his eyebrows innocently. "Don't you want to know how it works?"

Maya opened her mouth to protest, glancing over at Sylar, whose mouth quirked up into a smile. She sighed, and smiled back despite her misgivings. The sun had risen as they talked, and it glinted hard across the landscape. After a moment of silence, Maya's expression hardened into resolve. "No. I should do this on my own. You shouldn't even be traveling with me, I might hurt you. We should split up as soon as we can. I need to learn to manage alone now."

"No!" Sylar exclaimed too loudly. Maya looked at him sharply. "I mean…" Sylar looked down and affected an almost timid air. "I just thought... we could help each other. We've done okay so far, right? And we don't know what happened to your brother—what if his killer is after one of us, too?"

Maya looked torn. "You've been so kind to me, Gabriel. But I'm dangerous."

"Which is why we need to figure out how your ability works," Sylar insisted. Glancing around at the barren landscape, he motioned at their surroundings. "Look, we're the only ones for miles here, what better place to try it?"

Maya sighed, and pulled off to the shoulder. Turning the car off, she turned to face Sylar. "I had to drive away from my brother's dead body last night. I don't want to have to leave yours here by the side of the road this morning."

"You won't, Maya. I… I want to know why you didn't hurt me last night. If it was just a fluke or whether it'll happen again? I need to know what happened. I need to know how this works."

He looked at her with such earnestness that she swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay. What do I do?"

"I don't know. This part is up to you. It happens when you're upset, right?"

"Upset, angry, scared…"

"Okay…okay, use that. Concentrate on those feelings, but try… try to control them. Hold them."

Maya closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Sylar watched her in anticipation. With a frustrated sigh, she opened her eyes and reached for the keys in the ignition. "This is a bad idea, I shouldn't have let you talk me into this," she said hurriedly.

"No, this is important, Maya!" Sylar persisted. "Think about it: if you have complete control over your ability, you don't need to find Dr. Suresh. You wouldn't need a cure. You could be free."

Maya stopped with her hand on the keys. "I could stop running?"

"Yes," Sylar whispered, reaching a hand out to smooth Maya's hair over her shoulder. "Just try it again… one more time."

Maya nodded, staring out the front window. She gripped the wheel and closed her eyes once more. Taking deep breaths, her jaw clenched, and her hands tightened on the wheel.

"Keep going, Maya," Sylar said, relishing the anguished look that spread across her face. "Let it happen."

With a gasp, Maya's eyes flew open, black and scared. "Gabriel?!"

"I'm here, I'm fine," Sylar said. "You're doing it." He reached over and took her hands from the wheel, holding them in his. "Now listen to me. Try to calm down. Breathe. Don't let anything you're thinking about matter." Breathing heavily, Maya leaned in toward Sylar. "Take it all down deep inside, and put it away. _Dismiss it__. Don't let yourself care_."

"I can't!" she sobbed. "I can't do this without him!"

"You did it last night without him! Your brother doesn't matter, Maya, he was _weak_. _You're_ the special one, you're better off without him. You _never_ needed him—" Sylar broke off and struggled to catch his breath as a wave of panic and torment swept over him. He groaned and gripped Maya's hands tighter.

Maya's eyes cleared and she watched as Sylar took several gasping breaths. His eyes blackened briefly, and as quickly as the color had come, it was gone. The pair sat, breathing hard. After a moment, Maya looked down and withdrew her hands with a jerk. "How did you do that?" she whispered.

Sylar shook his head, as surprised as Maya. "I don't know."

"You stopped me the way Alejandro does." She wiped at her wet cheeks roughly. "We shouldn't do that again," she said, shaking her head and pushing her hair back into a ponytail.

"No, Maya, this is a good thing," Sylar assured her. "This means you can't hurt me, and I can _help_ you. We're supposed to be together," he insisted.

"How did you do that?" she asked frantically. "Why can you do that now?"

"I don't know," Sylar answered. "But we'll find out together." He put a hand over hers and gave a devilish smile. "Now. Let's try it again."

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OK, now I need some good ol' fashioned evil Sylar. As fun as it is to watch him fake piety, I think he'll need to break out the cruelty soon. Not sure how it's gonna happen yet, but stay tuned.

And thank you to my reviewers so far—you guys are awesome. :-)

GG


	4. Chapter 4

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Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be.

Author's note: Sorry on the delay for this part, it's been a hectic week and a half and I lost the mental thread there for awhile. Don't you hate when real life gets in the way? And might I just say: where was Sylar in this last 2x07? Not a single update. Well, I guess I'll just have to continue to live off of this storyline instead… :-)

Part 4

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The pair continued to practice for another half hour, Maya becoming progressively more adept at being able to begin on command. Sylar had improved as well, becoming less affected by the surge of unpleasant panic and misery that he had to consume each time. He hadn't been expecting it the first time it had happened—he expected Maya to be able to stop herself without affecting him as she had in the motel. He couldn't always tell _exactly_ what Maya had been imagining, but would instead be hit with a strong but general sense of anger, or sorrow, or fright. Most of Maya's emotional wallops didn't sit well with him, but on the occasion she became angry, and he felt her flood of rage, he was energized. He could tell she had the capacity for great ferocity and passion, and couldn't wait to use that for his own advantage…

Maya's eyes cleared and as she waited for Sylar to recover she craned her head to one side, stiff from sitting sideways in the front seat of the car. She no longer felt compressed by the episodes, and was able to shake the sensations off quickly.

The car jerked to the side suddenly, and Maya and Sylar were thrown sideways in their seats. There was a screech of metal, and Maya's head slammed into her window, Sylar pitching forward into the dash.

With a groan, Sylar sat back and rolled his shoulder, feeling a shooting pain. "Maya? Are you okay?" he asked, leaning toward her.

"Yes… I think so," she answered, putting a hand to the back of her head. No blood, but a lump was already beginning to form, and she had a splitting headache. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Sylar answered as he tried to open his door. "My door's stuck," he said, pushing in vain. "I think something hit us."

Maya opened her door and climbed out, holding it open for Sylar as he twisted his long, gangly form across the seats and emerged out of the driver's side. A car, smoke issuing from under its hood, sat lurched forward in a roadside ditch twenty meters ahead of them. Without a second thought, Maya ran toward it, and after a moments hesitation, Sylar followed slowly.

A dog barked frantically at them from the back seat of the car as they approached. Maya slid down the slight incline and caught sight of the driver, his eyes black, a deep cut across his forehead from slamming into the wheel. "_Dios __mio_," she breathed, one hand to her mouth. Sylar slid down to the passenger side and peered through the dusty window. A woman sat slumped forward in her seat, unmoving.

"Gabriel… Take it back," Maya begged, backing away from the car. "Please help them!"

Sylar was torn—he felt no need to save these people, but he was desperate to exhibit an ability. After weighing his options, Sylar closed his eyes and…. Sylar shook his head. "I can't. I think it's too late."

Maya stumbled around the front of the car and grabbed Sylar's hands. "Please! Like you did before. In the car. You can do it, you just did it a dozen times!" she said frantically.

"I already _did_, Maya. When you did this, I felt it, I already did what I could and it didn't save them," Sylar said, looking at the bodies in confusion. "I don't think it works that way. It must just…" Sylar's brow furrowed. "I don't fix anything. I can't help anyone. I think I can stop _you_ once you've started, but not….reverse what you've done."

Maya moaned and slid to the ground, her head in her hands. The incessant barking from the dog in the backseat was bothersome, and it was making her headache worse. "I just want to stop hurting people," she whispered at the dusty ground.

Sylar approached the car and looked through the back window. There was a cooler, a suitcase, and the woman's purse jumbled in the backseat with the dog, who looked upset, but not dangerous. Sylar opened the back door and the dog immediately jumped out, continuing its noise. It ran to Maya, who didn't acknowledge its presence, and then back to the car, barking loudly at Sylar's ankles.

Sylar shoved the dog away roughly with his foot and grabbed the purse and suitcase from the backseat. The cooler was wedged sideways between the seats, too tightly for Sylar to dislodge it. He grabbed some food from it and closed the car door. "Maya." Annoyed, he kicked the dog to one side again, this time with enough force that it kept its distance, but didn't stop barking. He tossed the purse at Maya's feet and hefted the suitcase into his arms, his shoulder causing him to grit his teeth in pain. "Maya, let's go."

Maya looked up from her hands and opened her mouth in protest when she saw what Sylar had collected from the wreck, but after a moment she just sighed and got to her feet without comment. She grabbed the purse and followed Sylar back to their car. The dog ran behind them for a few steps before turning back to continue barking at the motionless occupants of the wrecked car.

Sylar shoved the suitcase in the backseat and waited while Maya climbed through the driver's side door, over the center console, and into the passenger seat. Sylar climbed in after her and pulled the car back onto the highway.

"We're going to need another car," Sylar said. "Look in the purse for any cash."

Maya remained frozen, staring blankly out her window.

"Maya!" Sylar said sharply. With a start she looked at him as if she'd forgotten he was there. "Look in the purse," Sylar repeated harshly. "Is there any money?"

Maya took stock of the contents of the purse, pulling objects out into her lap. "Yes. A lot. And a cell phone, camera, credit cards… I thought you could do what Alejandro did?" she said quietly, not looking up from the bag.

Sylar frowned, disturbed that he didn't have the ability he thought he had. "I guess not."

"I'm so tired," Maya said, slumping back in her seat. "I can't keep taking the lives of innocent people… Is it a very bad thing that it is not as upsetting now as it was the first time? The first time, I threw up for a day and half afterwards. I felt like my chest would never stop aching. Now…" Maya trailed off.

"You've killed three people in the last twelve hours, Maya, and your brother was brutally murdered. Most normal people would be a wreck right now." Sylar paused, not looking at her.

"I don't understand your point." Maya said, frowning at him, but her warning tone led him to believe she knew exactly what he was implying.

Sylar shrugged. "I just don't think you have the level of morality you think you do. On some level very near the surface you're at peace with what you do, with what you've done. I don't think you care as much as you pretend to."

Maya's face twisted in distress and disbelief. "That's a terrible thing to say, Gabriel," she said in a low voice. "You don't know what it's like to kill."

Sylar's mouth quirked imperceptibly. "No. You're right. I don't. But you seem to have taken to it pretty easily."

"This is _not_ _easy_ for me!" Maya said indignantly.

Sylar paused for a moment, and then continued as if changing the subject, "Most people think twins are similar, but I think… I think it makes more sense that they'd be compliments of each other. A yin and yang. Light and dark, joy and sadness, calm and passion… good and evil." Sylar glanced at Maya, who was watching him with a hurt look on her face. Sylar shrugged. "Just a theory."

"Do you have a brother, Gabriel? A sister?" Maya asked.

"No."

"Do you love your parents?" Maya continued.

"They're dead."

Maya started to say something else, but seemed to think better of it, and quietly said instead, "Just because they are gone does not mean you have to stop loving them."

They drove in silence for several miles before either spoke again.

"How long does it take to drive from Texas to New York?" Maya asked.

"Days," Sylar answered, squinting to read a road sign. "There's a town in a couple miles. We can find a new car there."

They pulled in to the small town and found a gas station that looked like it had been abandoned years before, the windows broken and boarded, the building layered with graffiti. Sylar rifled through the suitcase and threw the unnecessary contents on the floor of the car's backseat, keeping a few things for each of them, but lightening the load by half. The pair started down the street toward a dusty used car lot. As they passed through the chain-link fence onto the lot, a stocky man in too much denim hurried toward them from a mobile home. A plain sheet of paper was taped to one of the windows bearing the word 'OFFICE'.

"Let me do the talking," Sylar said under his breath.

But as the man approached, Sylar watched him falter, trip, and drop to his knees, gasping. He felt a cold rush of bitterness spread like a chill through his body. It was a new sensation, distant and hollow. When it passed, he looked over at Maya. She was standing with her arms crossed, an almost curious look on her face as she stared down at the dead man. She looked up and caught Sylar watching her. "What?" she said impersonally. "How is my level of morality now, Gabriel?"

Sylar raised his hands in mock surrender, as if to say he was loathe to contradict her.

"I'll find a car with a full tank," Maya said, and started toward the first row in the lot, calling over her shoulder, "Hide him."

Sylar smiled. Quite sure she could no longer hear him, he purred, "Perfect."

------------------------------

Okay, I have a good grasp on what's coming next, so it'll be less of a wait for the next chapter, promise. And if you think you've spotted an inconsistency, trust me for one more chapter… I have a plan. ;-)

Check out my profile for a link to my website.

GG


	5. Chapter 5

Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be.

Author's Note: Promised this one would be up soon after the last one, and I meant it. :-) Now, if only the writer's guild could be pacified with mountains of gold and jewels, so we don't have a premature season finale. Please?? Seriously, guys, give 'em anything they want. I need the entire 23 episodes.

Part 5

--------------------

Sylar watched Maya as she wandered through the lines of cars. She seemed to decide on one, and set off toward the trailer the man had emerged from. Glancing at Sylar as she walked, she looked pointedly down at the man's body at his feet and raised her eyebrows, saying nothing. Sylar nodded and leaned over to grab the body.

As he reached for the collar of his jacket, the man slid steadily away from him a few feet. Sylar's eyes immediately shot toward the trailer, wondering if Maya had seen the movement. He could see her figure, vaguely, through a window. She seemed to be searching a peg-board full of keys.

Sylar looked around the lot for a place to hide the body, and settled on a pile of discarded tires, garbage, and various greasy, rusted engine parts. With a flick of his hand, the man was flung like a rag doll, landing with a sickening crunch in an unnatural heap just short of the pile. Sylar walked over, the thrill of anticipation swelling in him. He eased the man's body around the pile and with a short movement of his fingers, the tires and assorted junk fell over him, burying him from view.

"That was fast."

Sylar spun to find Maya standing in the trailer's doorway. She started down the steps toward Sylar. "That man was heavy—is your shoulder okay?" Maya reached out and gripped Sylar's shoulder. He exhaled sharply and pulled away from her touch. Maya raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I… I think I made it worse." Sylar said with a guilty smile. "But I'll be fine."

Maya nodded, unconvinced. "I got the keys," she said, holding up a key ring. "Let's go."

The pair started toward the car, Maya grabbing the suitcase and putting it in the new backseat. Sylar got obediently into the passenger side and Maya pulled out of the lot and onto the road.

-----------------------------------

They drove all day, stopping only briefly for gas and bathroom breaks. They traveled in silence the majority of the time, and Maya did most of the driving. This suited Sylar, as it gave him time to think. If he concentrated, his hearing improved dramatically, and mid-afternoon he confused Maya by chilling the car to the point she began fiddling with the air conditioner controls in frustration. She eventually settled for cursing the car and hitting the dash board, convinced it was broken. Sylar allowed himself an amused smile behind one hand.

The sun set, and they continued to drive into the night, eating what they had grabbed from the cooler and bypassing all restaurants and diners. Eventually, Maya slipped off to sleep in the passenger seat. Sylar's eyes felt heavy, and the fatigue of the last forty-eight hours began to tug at him. Giving in, he pulled over at the next rest stop he found. Maya seemed comfortable in the front seat, so Sylar climbed into the back to stretch out. The night was quiet, and Sylar drifted off to sleep listening to the even ticking of Maya's heart…

Sylar woke with a feeling of urgency, as if he was supposed to be doing something that he was late for. Rubbing one hand through his hair, he rolled his sore shoulder and looked out over the nearby landscape. There was a field of something indiscernible in the darkness, and the moonlight reflected oddly off the plants…

Sylar sat up, perfectly awake. That wasn't moonlight reflecting off of anything, that was—

Something in the field was glowing. Pulsing. Small, but bright.

Keeping still, Sylar slowly glanced in Maya's direction to see if he had woken her. She was still fast asleep, breathing deeply and evenly. Sylar slid across the backseat and eased the door open as quietly as he could and exited the car. He checked that he still had the keys in his pocket, and quietly locked Maya in.

Sylar looked around carefully as he made his way toward the field. The stalks came to mid-chest, but he was still unsure what was actually being grown here. Growing up a watchmaker's son in the Bronx didn't lend itself to a hefty knowledge of agriculture.

The light would shine brightly for a few seconds at a time, only to disappear completely again. Sylar had to wait until it happened again each time to move forward, as the uneven ground and crops made it difficult to chart a straight course through the field. Looking back over his shoulder, he made sure he could easily make it back to the harsh lights of the rest stop.

As he neared the source of the light, he noticed a small farm house off to his left. Most of the lights were out, save for one room on the ground floor. There were several cars parked out front, and Sylar could hear the clinking of china and a woman's voice, a soft southern drawl, thanking someone for their visit. Sylar dismissed the exchange and concentrated again on localizing the glow.

After a few more steps, he arrived at the source of the light. A small figure sat facing away from Sylar, between the rows of crops, periodically emanating light. As he got within a few feet, the figure turned around and looked innocently at Sylar.

"Hi. Do you like games?"

It was small boy, sandy blond hair shaved into a crew cut, no more than five years old, wearing pajamas. He sat cross legged on the ground, several action figures grasped in his little hands. Sylar crouched down below the level of the crops and joined the boy on the ground. "Well, do I ever," he said, affecting a slight drawl. "Who've you got there?" he asked, pointing to the dirty plastic figures.

"Superman, the Green Lantern, the Hulk, and Optimus Prime." The boy shoved his collection forward on the ground to illustrate his point.

"Those are very neat, there," Sylar said, nodding. "What's your name?"

"Robert," the boy replied.

"Robert. Very nice to meet you. My name's Gabriel. Now what _are_ you doing out here in the middle of the night, Robert?" Sylar asked.

The boy pouted and jabbed a stubby finger in the direction of the farm house. "My _mom_ made me come out here. Sometimes when people visit I have to hide," he whispered conspiratorially.

"You come out here to hide?" Sylar asked.

"Yeah. I can bring my toys, but I have to stay very still and very quiet," he said matter-of-factly. "Who's your favorite superhero?" Robert asked, picking up one of his toys.

"Oh, I like them all," Sylar replied, "I don't think I could choose just _one_." He smiled. "Actually, if you promise to keep a secret…" Sylar lowered his voice and leaned toward the boy. "_I'm_ a superhero."

"You are?" Robert said excitedly. "What can you do?"

Sylar held out his hand and the action figure Robert was holding flew into it. "Cool!" Robert yelled.

"Shh!" Sylar put a finger to his lips. "You can't tell anyone. I have to keep it a secret. But sometimes it's real hard… Sometimes I want to show _everyone_ I'm special." Sylar gave the boy a smile. "Do you ever feel that way?"

Robert nodded, his eyes wide. "I can do stuff, too. I don't like the dark… so sometimes I make it go away."

Sylar frowned. "You make the dark go away? How?"

"Like this," Robert said, his skin beginning to glow. After a few seconds, he faded again, and Sylar was momentarily blind while his eyes readjusted to the small amount of natural moonlight. "One day I just did it. And now I can play in the dark even when Mom says I have to turn the lights out and go to bed," he said, giggling. "And then," he continued excitedly, "if she tries to find me, I can make all the light go away."

Sylar was plunged into darkness; a deep, complete black. He opened his eyes as wide as he could and scanned around himself, but couldn't find even a single point of light or shadow—

As abruptly as the light had disappeared, it came back, as if someone had flicked a switch. The moonlight now seemed intensely bright in comparison. Robert sat in front of Sylar, holding his feet and grinning proudly.

"Well, that _is_ a neat trick, Robert," Sylar said earnestly. "I just wish _I_ could do that…"

-------------------------

Sylar remained next to the boy's body for a few minutes, experimenting with his new ability. His entire body could glow, or he could choose to light one hand, or just his face. There was no heat associated; in fact, he felt cool, as if his body heat had to leave his form to light the air. The reverse was true when he caused darkness; he felt a pleasant warmth spread through him. He also found he had limited vision when he absorbed the light—it was just dim, as if he were looking through a thin, dark veil.

He looked down at his hands, willing them to glow again.

Nothing happened.

Sylar made two fists and opened them with force. Nothing. Off to his left, a porch door slammed.

"Robert?" the southern drawl called. "Robert, honey, come inside. There's some nice men wanna meet you."

Sylar held very still, listening carefully, his enhanced hearing suddenly failing him.

"Robert? Can you come talk to us?" Sylar's blood ran cold at the sound of Noah Bennet's voice. A flashlight's beam cut through the stalks in Sylar's direction, and he heard the rustle of people entering the field a few yards away. Quickly, he pushed himself to his feet and, remaining bent at the waist to stay under the level of the crops, rushed back toward the rest stop.

The yelling became more frantic as Sylar tripped through the rows, the plants whipping at his face. The woman screamed, and the rustling behind him became more intense, Bennet yelling directions at the Haitian. Sylar burst from the field and sprinted to the car.

Maya's eyes opened, her heart racing, unaware of what had woken her. Looking at the driver's seat, she had a moment of panic seeing it empty. She sat up abruptly, kicking the dash as she tried to orient herself.

Sylar slammed into the car and wrenched open the driver's side door.

"Gabriel, where have you been? What's wrong?" she asked as he started the car and peeled out onto the highway.

"Maya, there are men. Men that want to hurt us, that have been chasing me for a long time," Sylar said, breathless.

"What? Who?" Maya turned in her seat to look behind them. "What do they want with you?"

"They experiment on people like us, people with abilities. They locked me in a cage, Maya. They tested me, and tried to kill me. I escaped, but they've been trying to find me ever since."

Maya said something Sylar didn't understand under her breath and covered her mouth with one hand. "Do they know about me?" she asked.

"I don't know," Sylar answered truthfully. "But they've found us somehow and whatever we do, we _cannot_ let them catch us. Do you understand, Maya? We _cannot let them catch us_." Sylar looked at her seriously.

"They are truly bad, these men?" Maya asked, looking down.

"Very," Sylar replied. There was a moment of silence, and Sylar suddenly understood Maya's meaning. "But you can't hurt them. One of them is like us, he can block our abilities. You wouldn't be able to use your gift anywhere near them."

"If he is like us, why does he hunt us?"

"I don't know."

"Could they be... Are they responsible for my brother's death?" Maya asked, her voice hard.

Sylar shook his head. "Maybe. I don't know. But we have to find a place to hide tonight. And they've seen the car."

Maya sighed. "Another car?" she asked. "We're going to have to get _another_ car?"

-----------------------------

Love you all, especially you reviewers. You rock. You rock so much, you can have a piece of my birthday cake. :-)

Check out my profile for the link to my website!

GG

------------------------------


	6. Chapter 6

Bothersome, But Not Distracting

By GoldenGait

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly never will be.

Author's note: Yeah, okay, so I killed the kid. But honestly, Sylar's evil, and that's what evil people do. What would you have had me do, make Sylar and Maya adopt the little tyke and live happily ever after? Not this fic, people. Mine might not be the most angsty stuff you've ever read, but I'm not prone to fluffiness, either. ;-)

Part 6

-------------------------

Sylar drove as quickly as the old car could handle without shaking. Maya sat backwards in the passenger seat, watching the road behind them. They had taken the first major turn off they had come to and snaked through a town before finding a small state road that led them to another major highway. Two hours later they crossed a state line, and the fields seemed to give way to tall trees that lined the road on either side.

"We've got about another hour before sun rise," Sylar said, breaking the silence. "We should switch cars soon."

Maya nodded. "What happened back there?" she asked. "Why did you leave the car?"

"I just needed to stretch my legs," Sylar said dismissively. Things had become complicated to the point that Sylar wondered if it was prudent to keep Maya any longer. He could move faster without her, he had his powers back, and as long as he was dumping this car…

They sped past a sign, welcoming them to a small town a few miles ahead. Sylar slowed the car and pulled off the road into the dense trees.

"Why are we stopping here?" Maya asked. "The town is not for miles."

"It'll be easier to hide the car here," Sylar answered. "We can't let them find it; that would be confirmation that we came this way." He swung open the door and climbed out. Maya sat where she was, her arms crossed.

"It will take until daybreak to walk to the town. We should drive there, steal a car while it is still dark, and _then_ hide this car."

Sylar walked to Maya's side of the car, opened her door, and crouched down in front of her. "Maya, please. I promise I have a plan. It's only two miles, we'll be there in plenty of time to get a car without anyone seeing us." Placing a hand on her knee, he looked up at her encouragingly. "Please get out of the car?"

Maya looked down at the hand on her knee with apprehension.

Both of them jumped as a shrill ring cut through the silence of the night. Realizing the noise came from the woman's purse, Maya grabbed it from the backseat and fished out the cell phone. She didn't know what she intended to do, but she was glad for any interruption that would cause Sylar to remove his hand from her leg. She had begun to have an uneasy feeling about him.

She flipped open the phone before she realized what she was doing, and after staring at it briefly, held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Maya Herrera?"

Maya's face blanched, and she pushed Sylar aside and got out of the car. "Who is this?"

"My name isn't important, Maya. What _is_ important is my colleague and I finding you. Tonight. You're in a lot of danger. Sylar is a _very dangerous__ man_."

"I don't understand," Maya said quietly, walking several paces away from Sylar and the car.

"The man you're traveling with. Gabriel Sylar. I don't know what he's told you, but he's going to kill you just like he killed your brother."

"How do you—?"

Suddenly the phone flew from Maya's grasp and smashed into pieces against a tree. Maya spun around and found Sylar standing inches from her. She gasped and backed away.

"Tsk tsk tsk. You know, Maya, that wasn't very smart. He probably traced that call."

"Who are you?" Maya asked, horrified.

"And now he's gone and spoiled my big surprise," Sylar continued, walking a wide, lazy circle around where Maya stood. "But only by a couple of minutes. Which, actually, when you consider the length of human existence, isn't that big of a deal. A couple minutes won't _really_ matter in the long run."

"You killed my brother. _You_ murdered him," Maya whispered, shaking.

Sylar nodded, an agonizingly slow bob of his head. "But your ability is the one I really want." Sylar moved back to the car. "I've been craving that gift since I met you, and now that I have my abilities back—" Sylar hovered one hand over the hood and the car quivered and melted to the ground, running in liquid metal streams down the roadside incline and into the underbrush. "It's all mine."

Horrified, Maya ran for the trees, hearing Sylar call after her, "Don't run, Maya!" Sylar started slowly after her, darkening the woods further with his new ability. "It's awfully dark. You might trip and fall, and _ruin my present_."

Maya stopped, unable to see anything around her. Breathing heavily, she eased one foot forward along the ground, holding both hands in front of her. She felt a large tree trunk to her left, and feeling panic swell in her throat, she pressed her back against it and frantically tried to see something, anything, that would allow her to escape this man—

"I must admit I've enjoyed your company, Maya." The voice came softly from the darkness. "You're an incredible woman. And I appreciate how welcoming you were when I intruded on your little road trip with your brother. It was so _fortunate_ that you two were the ones to find me."

Maya eased herself away from the tree. Stepping as softly as she could, she attempted to move away from the direction of the voice, only to be flung back forcefully against the bark. She gave a yelp as her head slammed into the tree exactly where she had hit it in the car.

"I'm going to have to ask you to remain where you are," Sylar purred, lifting the oppressive veil of complete darkness.

Maya gasped when she realized he was again only a few inches from her.

Sylar smiled and cocked his head. "There's just one thing I don't understand, and I'd love to pick your brain about it before you die… if you don't mind."

"You're insane," Maya said, struggling.

Sylar ignored her. "The night I killed your brother… I sliced open his head. I pinned him against a wall just like this, and he _squirmed _just like this…" Sylar paused, affecting a tragic look on his face. He traced a line with his finger down Maya's cheek, and with a grimace she turned her head away from his touch. "Maybe there _is_ something to the idea that twins are similar, hmm?"

With a deep breath, Sylar seemed to shrug off his tangent. "The point is, you killed a man that night and didn't hurt me. I had already taken Alejandro's ability, but I still couldn't use any of my other gifts. And I never felt anything from you—just that first time. Why is that, do you think?" Sylar crossed his arms and moved a strand of Maya's hair from her eyes with a gesture.

"I think you will never be able to use Alejandro's ability," Maya spat. "I think you _do_ have it, all of it, you just don't know how to access it. Your soul is dark, Gabriel. I admit I've killed, I am not innocent, but Alejandro was. I think it takes a truly good person, an angel, to undo what I have done." Maya paused, looking at Sylar with disgust and pity. "And you may be named for an angel, but you act on behalf of something evil."

"_I act on behalf of no-one_!" Sylar yelled, moving forward to slam a palm into the tree above Maya's head. She flinched, but held his gaze.

"And you're right, my gift _is_ wonderful," she continued. "I think I can choose whether to let you feel my pain when it happens. The first time, at my brother's wedding," Maya paused, tilting her head to the side and looking evenly at Sylar, "when I _murdered_ two hundred innocent people… Alejandro didn't feel a thing." Sylar watched blackness swirl through Maya's eyes. "But now… you're going to feel _everything_."

Sylar face contorted in pain as Maya's emotions washed over him and he struggled to draw breath as he staggered away from her. Maya found she could move again, and running forward, she slammed as hard as she could into Sylar's shoulder. He howled in pain and crumpled to the ground.

Maya made it several steps before she felt her feet leave the ground and slammed sideways into another tree. She fell heavily, and lay panting, unable to push herself to her feet.

"I _will_ have your power, Maya. You're never leaving these trees."

Maya lay still, breathing heavily. She was exhausted, and her head was pounding. "You've had your abilities back for awhile now, haven't you?" she asked, staring up at a visible patch of night sky between the leaves. "And yet you haven't tried to take anything from me. I don't think you're as detached from this as you think you are. I think you _like_ having someone around who you feel is as _dark_ as you. Someone else who kills. Someone to share the guilt."

Sylar pushed himself to a sitting position and held his shoulder, staring at Maya's form lying in the underbrush. "There was no pressing need for me to take your gift any earlier than this," he explained, willing her back down as she made an attempt to sit up. "You were a mule, someone to carry what I wanted, and someone to blame the destruction on. You weren't going anywhere without me, and I knew I could retrieve what I wanted at any time."

Maya nodded absently. "I've taken too many lives to deserve a happy ending, Gabriel," she said, lying still and defeated as Sylar stood and approached her.

He crouched next to her, leaned in to her ear and breathed, "I can promise… you won't have one."

He straightened up, and as his figure loomed over her, she lifted her chin and held his gaze. "But I'll be damned if I let you take my ability without a few scars of your own." Squeezing her eyes shut, Maya drew on every sorrow she had inflicted, every face she had tormented, every life she had taken, and pushed with all her might toward the man standing above her.

With an audible _crack _Sylar was tossed backward through the trees, glancing off of one like a pin ball in a machine and he hit the ground hard, sliding through the rocks and twigs that littered the ground. He couldn't breathe, his head felt ready to explode, and all he could hear were screams and incessant, horrific sobbing. With great effort he got to his feet and squinted through the forest for Maya. He couldn't hear her; the agonized shrieking was deafening. Fighting the urge to vomit, he gave a feeble pulse of light and saw Maya to his right, leaning against a tree and breathing hard, her eyes wide and black.

The light caught her attention and she looked over. Seeing Sylar on his feet, she tried to stumble away, but he flung her back against the tree and held her there, his hand out-stretched. Maya gasped for breath as an invisible force lifted her from the ground and crushed down on her neck, but she refused to stop, and black tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

Sylar moved toward her, wanting to scream, feeling like his chest would burst from the pressure—

Maya kicked in vain at the tree trunk beneath her, her hands grasping at nothing at her throat—

The wailing in Sylar's head seemed even louder, and he dropped to his knees. "_Stop_!" he cried desperately, panting—

Maya's strength began to fail and she heard a faint buzzing in her ears as she slipped from the tree to the ground—

Sylar's arm dropped limply to his side and his eyes rolled up as he fell forward onto the forest floor. Feet from him, Maya's eyes slipped closed and she slumped to the ground beside him.

-----------------------

The harsh lighting woke Maya. The intensity seemed to sear through her closed eyelids, making her squint and turn her head to the side in a quest for darkness.

"Good morning, Maya."

Maya sat up slowly, assessing her surroundings as she did so. Gray cinderblock walls, a bare mattress, and a floor-to-ceiling window looking out on three men. She pushed herself off the mattress and stood, looking down on the stiff, white shirt and drawstring pants she wore. "Where am I?" she asked.

"Somewhere safe. Where we won't have to worry about you hurting anyone ever again." The voice came from an unintimidating man, bald, with glasses. He stood between the other two: one handsome, well-dressed, and dark skinned, the other middle-aged, wearing a pair of horn rimmed glasses.

"Who are you? Where is Gabriel?" Maya asked, feeling like a specimen under a glass.

"Gabriel is here, too," the man in horn-rimmed glasses said, stepping forward. "You don't have to worry about him."

"You are the man on the phone," Maya said hesitantly, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. The man made no sign of acknowledgment.

"We've been following your progress since before you crossed the border, Maya," the first man said. "You and your boyfriend left quite an impressive trail of bodies for my colleagues here to follow. Regular Bonnie and Clyde, weren't you?" He produced a folder and began flipping the pages within. "The man you helped escape from jail in Mexico, a massacre at the border, the hotel, the couple in the car, a used car salesman—although I suppose some people would argue you did the world a service by getting rid of one of _them_," he looked up, smiling, but seeing Maya's face he cleared his throat and continued. "Poor little Robert Camp, and along the way… your own brother." The man closed the folder and crossed his arms. "Did Sylar—Gabriel—tell you Alejandro needed to die? Did you give your permission?" The man tilted his head inquisitively. "Did you watch?"

Maya stared evenly at the men through the glass. "If I killed all of those people… If I've done all you say… You might not want to make me angry by speaking about my brother."

"Oh, we're not too concerned about that, Maya. You see my colleague here is quite remarkable in his ability to suppress what you can do. So in the interest of ongoing collaboration, we'll stop the questions there for the day. But we'll see you tomorrow." With that, the three men turned and walked from view, leaving Maya standing alone and hollow.

-------------------------

Sylar sat in the next room over, still and silent in a familiar position, his legs drawn up to his chest and his hands clasped around them. He hated these crisp white clothes. He hated this cell. And he truly hated the men who now walked into view through his fourth wall of glass.

"Long time, no see, Mr. Sylar," Noah Bennet said by way of a greeting.

"Mr. Bennet. Yes, it has been awhile. How's Claire?" Sylar raised an eyebrow at Bennet. "Got a date for Homecoming this year?"

"Mr. Sylar, we're not here to talk about Claire." A man Sylar didn't recognize stepped forward.

"I don't know you," Sylar said, narrowing his eyes.

"You can call me Bob. Now, Mr. Sylar, we had quite the time catching up with you. But I suppose it was a blessing in disguise you were so difficult, because the situation provided me with the means to convince Mr. Bennet and his Haitian friend to rejoin our little family. Who knew they were so personally invested in seeing you locked up again." Bob smiled.

"I've realized I tend to evoke a rather intense emotional response in people," Sylar said in a low voice. "It's just too bad you couldn't track me down before I met little Robert." Sylar clicked his tongue and gave a dispirited sigh. "He was sweet." Leaning his head forward a little, he added, "And right under your noses, too…"

"Yes. Well. I'm just glad we have you safe and sound, back here where we can keep an eye on you." Bob handed Bennet the folder and he and the Haitian turned to leave. "Now, tomorrow—you remember Dr. Suresh? He'll be coming in to discuss what we've been doing here the past few months, and we'll see if we can't help you conquer this 'condition' of yours."

"Do you have Maya?" Sylar interrupted, cocking his head to one side.

Bob looked at Sylar intently for a moment before speaking, his face impossible to read. "Hmm. Maya. Let me ask you, how did you enjoy working with a partner? You don't seem the type."

Sylar smiled. "It was bothersome at times… but not wholly distracting. I still know what I want."

Bob smiled back. "It's always good to have goals," he said encouragingly, turning away.

Sylar watched him leave. He wasn't too concerned by his present situation. He'd escaped once before, and he felt it was inevitable that it would happen again.

And he could be patient.

----------------------------------

Wheew. Okay, peoples, that's it for me for now. I have real life things to do, and the holidays are coming up, so it's gotta end here. I'm not going to promise this is the last you'll see from this storyline, but I _can_ promise it'll be a good long while from now if I do come back to it. Besides, the next character I want to play with is Elle. She looks… fun. ;-) In the meantime, check out my profile for a link to my website.

Also: A big THANK YOU and YOU'RE AWESOME to Necrule Paen for the guidance and suggestions for Sylar's dialogue in the final few lines. It works much better your way. ;-)

Thanks to all who have read and reviewed so far: you guys have totally kept me on track and I can't thank you enough. 'Til next time…

GG


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